The sermons of Mr. Yorick

Stack
Annex

THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY

OF CALIFORNIA

LOS ANGELES

SERMONS

B Y

The late Rev. Mr. S T E R N E,

VOL. VII.

LONDON:

Printed for W. Strahan; T. Cadell,

Succeflbr to Mr. Millar ; and T.

Beckett and Co. in the Strand.

MDCCLXIX.

Annex

CONTENTS x,,7

O F T H E

SEVENTH VOLUME.

SERMON XIII.

Afa : a Thankfgiving Sermon.

SERMON XIV.

Follow Peace.

SERMON XV.

Search the Scriptures.

5 E R M O N XVI.

A 2 SER-

CONTENTS:

SERMON XVII.

The Ways of Providence juftified

to Man.

SERMON XVIII.
The Ingratitude of Ifrael.

SERMON XIII.

-Aia : a Thankfgiving Sermon.

Vol. VII. B

SERMON XIII.

2 Chronicles xv. 14.

And they /ware unto the Lord with a
loud voice, and with jhouting, and
with trumpets, and with cornets. —
And all the men of Judah rejoiced at
the oath.

IT will be necefiary to give a par-
ticular account of what was the
occafion, as well as the nature, of
the oath which the men of Judah
fware un:o the Lord *, — which will
explain not only the reafons why it
became a matter of fo much joy to
them, but likewife admit of an ap-
B 2 plication

4 SERMON XIII.

plication fuitable to the purpofes of
this iblemn affembly.

Abijah, and Afa his fori, were
fucceffive kin^s of Tudah. — The firil
came to the crown at the clofe of a
long, and, in the end, a very unfuc-
cefsful war, which had gradually
wafted the ftrength and riches of his
kingdom.

He was a prince endowed with
the talents which the emergencies
of his country required, and feemed
born to make Judah a ^victorious,
as well as a happy people. — The
conduct and great fuccefs of his
arms againd Jeroboam, had well
titablifhed the firftj — but his king-
* dom,

SERMON XIII. 5

dom, which had been fo many years
the feat of a war, had been lb wailed
and bewildered, that his reign, good
as it was, was too fhort to accom-
plifh the latter. — He died, and left
the work unfinifhed for his fon. —
Afa fucceeded, in the room of Abijah
his father, with the trueft notions of
religion and government that could
be fetched either from reafon or ex-
perience.— His reafon told him, that
God mould be worshipped in fim-
plicity and fmglenefs of heart •, —
therefore he took away the altars of
the flrange gods, and broke down
their images. — His experience told
him, that the moft fuccefsful wars,
inftead of invigorating, more gene-
rally drained away the vitals of
B 3 govern-

6 SERMON XIII.

government, — and, at the beft, ended
but in a brighter and more oftenta-
tious kind of poverty and defolation :
-^-therefore he laid afide his fword,
and ftudied the arts of ruling Judah
with peace. — Confcience would not
luffer Afa to facrifice his lubjeds
to private views of ambition, and
wifdom forbad he mould luffer them
to offer up themfelves to the pre-*
tence of public ones-, — fince enlarge-
ment of empire, by the deftrucYion
of its people, (the natural and only
valuable fource of ftrength and
riches) was a dimoneft and miierable
exchange. — And however well the
glory of a conquefl might appear in
the eyes of a common beholder, yet,,
when bought at that coltly rate, a.

fa: her

SERMON XIII. 7

father to his country would behold
the triumphs which attended it, and
weep as it paffed by him. — Amidft
all the glare and jollity of the day,
the parent's eyes would fix attentively
upon his child •, — he would difcern
him drooping under the weight of
his attire, without ftrength or vigour,
— his former beauty and comelinefs
gone off: — he would behold the
coat of many colours ftained with
blood, and cry, — Alas ! they have
decked thee with a parent's pride,,
but not with a parent's care and
forefight.

With fuch affectionate fentiments

of government, and juft principles of

religion, Afa began his reign. — A

B 4 leign

8 SERMON XIIT.

reign marked out with new reras,
and a fueceffion of happier occur-
rences than what had diftinguilhed
former days,

The juft and gentle fpirit of the
prince, infenfibly ftole into the breafts
of the people. — The men of Judah
turned their fwords into plowfhares,
and their fpears into pruning hooks.
— By induftry and virtuous labour
they acquired, what by fpoil and
rapine they might have fought after
long in vain. — The traces of their
late troubles foon began to wear out.
— The cities, which had become
ruinous and defolate (the prey of
famine and the fword) were now re-
built, fortified, and made populous. —

Peace,

SERMON XIU. 9

Peace, fecurity, wealth, and prof-
perky, feemed to compofe the whole
hiflory of Afa's reign. — O Judah !
what could then have been done
more than what was done to make
thy people happy ? —

What one blefling was with-held,
that thou fhouldil ever with-hold thy

thankfulnefs ? —

That thou didft not continually
turn thy eyes towards heaven with
an habitual fenfe of God's mercies,
and devoutly praife him for fetting
A fa over you.

Were not the public bleffing?, and
the private enjoyments, which every

man

io SERMON XJII.

man of Judah derived from them,
fuch as to make the continuance of
them defireable ? — and what other
way was there to effect it, than to
fwear unto the Lord, with all your
hearts and fouls, to perform the
covenant made with your fathers ?—
to fecure that favour and interefl:
with the almighty Being, without
which the wifdom of this world is
foolifhnefs, and the beft connected
fy Items of human policy are fpecu-
lative and airy projects, without
foundation or fubftance. — The hif-
tory of their own exploits and efta-
blifhment fince they had become a
nation, was a ftrong confirmation of
this doctrine.

But

SERMON XIII. n

But too free and uninterrupted a
polTeffion of God Almighty's blef-
fings, fometimes (though it feems
ftrange to fuppofe it) even tempts
man to forget him, either from a
certain depravity and ingratitude of
nature, not to be wrought upon by
goodnefs, — or that they are made by-
it too paflionately fond of the prefent
hour, and too thoughtlefs of its
great Author, whofe kind provi-
dence brought it about. — This
feemed to have been the cafe with
the men of Judah : — for notwith-
ftandino- all that God had done for
them, in placing Abijah, and Afa his
fon, over them, and infpiring them
with hearts and talents proper to
retrieve the errors of the foregoing

reign,

12 SERMON XIII.

reign, and bring back peace and
plenty to the dwellings of Judah ; —
yet there appears no record of any
fblemn and religious acknowledg-
ment to God for fuch fignal favours.
— The people fat down in a thank-
lefs fecuiity, each man under his
vine, to eat and drink, and rofe up
to play -, — more folioitous to enjoy
their bleffings, than to deferve them.

But this fcene of tranquillity was
not to fubfift without fome change •,
— and it feemed as if providence at
length had fuffered the dream to be
interrupted, to make them confider
whence it flowed, and how necefTary
it had been all along to their fup-
port. — The Ethiopians, ever fince

tilt

SERMON XIII. 13

the beginning of Abijah's reign,
until the tenth year of Afa's, had
been at peace, or at leaft, whatever
fecret enmity they bore, had made
no open attacks upon the kingdom
of Judah. — And indeed the bad
meafures which Rehoboam had taken,
in the latter part of the reign which
immediately preceded theirs, feemed
to have faved the Ethiopians the
trouble. — For Rehoboam, though in
the former part of his reign he dealc
wifely •, yet when he had ertablifhed
his kingdom, and ftrengthened him-
fc]f? — he forfook the laws of the
Lord ; — he forfook the council which
the old men gave him, and took
Council with the young men, which
were brought up with him, and ftcod

before

14 SERMON XIII.

before him. — Such ill-advifed mea*
fures, in all probability, had given
the enemies of Judah fuch decifive
advantages over her, that they had
fat down contented, and for many
years enjoyed the fruits of their ac-
quifitions. — But the friendship of
princes is feldom made up of better
materials than thofe which are every
day to be feen in private life, — in
which fincerity and affeclion are not
at all confidered as ingredients. —
Change of time and circumftances
produce a change of councils and
behaviour. — Judah, in length of
time, had become a frelh temptation,
and was worth fighting for. — Her
riches and plenty might firfl: make
her enemies covet, and then the re-
membrance

SERMON XIII. 15

membrance of how cheap and eafy a
prey fhe had formerly been, might
make them not doubt of obtaining

a

By thefe apparent motives, (or
whether God, who fomesimes over-
rules the heart of man, was pleafed
to turn them by fecret ones, to the
purpofes of his wifdom) the ambition
of the Ethiopians revived, with an
hoft of men numerous as the fand
upon the fea-fhore in multitude. —
They had left their country, and
were coming forwards to invade
them. — What can Judah propofe to
do in fo terrifying a crifis ? — where

can fhe betake herfelf for refuge ?

on one hand, her religion and laws
are too precious to be given up, or

trufled
9

i6 SERMON Xin.

trufted to the hands of a ftranger ; .

and on the other hand, how can fo
fmall a kingdom, juft recovering
flrength, furrounded by an army of
a thoufand thoufand men, befides
chariots and horfes, be able to with-
ftand fo powerful a fhock. — But here
it appeared that thofe, who, in their
prolperity, can forget God, do yet
remember him in the day of danger
and diftrefs ; — and can begin with
comfort to depend upon his provi-
dence, when with comfort they can
depend upon nothing elfe. — For
when Zerah, the Ethiopian, was
come unto the valley of Zephatha at
Maretha, Afa, and all the men of
Judah, and Benjamin, went out
againft him ; — and as they went,

they

SERMON XIIL r7

they cried mightily unto God. — And
Afa prayed for his people, and he
faid, — " O Lord ! it is nothing with
thee to help, whether with many, or
with them that have no power : —
help us, O Lord our God ; for we
relt in thee, and in thy name we 00
againft this multitude. — O Lord,
thou art our God, let not man pre-
vail againft thee." — Succefs almoft
feemed a debt due to the piety of the
prince, and the contrition of his
people. — So God fmote the Ethio-
pians, and they could not recover
themfelves : — for they were fcattered,
and utterly deftroyed, — before the
Lord, and before his hoft. — And
as they returned to Jerufalem from
purfuing, — behold the fpirit of God
Vol. VII. C came

1 8 SERMON XIII.

came upon Afariah, the fon of Odet).
— And he went out to meet Afa,
and he faid unto him, — Hear ye me,
Afa, and all Judah and Benjamin ;
—the Lord is with you, whilft you
are with him ; — and if you feek him,
he will be found of you, but if ye
forfake him, he will forfake you. —
Nothing could more powerfully call
home the confcience than fo timely
an expoftulation. — The men of Judah
and Benjamin, ftruck with a fenfe
of their late deliverance, and the
many other felicities they had enjoyed
fi nee Afa was king over them, they
gathered themfelves together at Jeru-
{alem, in the third month in the
fifteenth year of Afa's reign ; — and
they entered into a covenant to feek

3 the

SERMON XIII. 19

the Lord God of their fathers, with
all their heart, and with all their
foul : — and they fware unto the
Lord with a loud voice, and with
fhouting, and with trumpets, and
with cornets, and all Judah rejoiced
at the oath.

One may obferve a kind of luxu-
riety in the defcription, which the
holy hiftorian gives of the tranfporc
of the men of Judah upon this occa-
fion. — And fure, if ever matter of
joy was fo reafonably founded, as to
excufe any exceffes in the expreffions
of it,< — this was one: — for without
it, — the condition of Judah, though
etherwife the happieft, would have
C 2 . been,

20 S E R M O N XIII.

been, of ail nations under heaven,
the moil miierable.

Let us fuppofe a moment, inftead
of being repulied, that the enterprize
of the Ethiopians had profpered
againft them, — like other grievous
diftempers, where the vitals are firft
attacked, — Afa, their king, would
have been fought after, and have
been made the firft facrifice. — He
mud either have fallen by the fword
of battle, or execution •, or, what is
worfe, he muft have furvived the
ruin of his country by flight, — and
worn out the remainder of his days
in lbrrow, for the afflictions which
were come upon it. — In fome remote

corner

SERMON XIII. 21

corner of the world, the good king
would have heard the particulars of
Judah's destruction. — He would have
been told how the country, which
had become dear to him by his pa-
ternal care, was now utterly laid
wafte, and all his labour loft ; —
how the fences which protected it
were torn up, and the tender plant
within, which he had fo long fhei-
tered, was cruelly trodden under foot
and devoured. — He would hear how
Zerah, the Ethiopian, when he had
overthrown the kingdom, thought
himfelf bound in conlcience to over-
throw the religion of it too, and
eftablifh his own idolatrous one in
its (lead. — That, in purluance of this,
the holy religion, which Afa had
C 3 reformed,

22 SERMON XIII.

reformed, had begun every where to
be evil fpoken of, and evil entreated :

That it was firft banifhed from the
courts of the king's houfe, and the
midft of Jerufalem, — and then fled
for fafety out of the way into the
wildernefs, and found no city to
dwell in. — That Zerah had rebuilt
the altars of the llrange Gods, — which
A fa's piety had broken down, and

fet up their images :

...

That his commandment was urgent,
that all fhould fall down and wor-
fhip the idol he had made: — That,
to compleat the tale of their miferies,
there was no profpect of deliverance
for any but the worft of his fub-

jo!ts -, —

SERMON XIII. 23

jects j— thofe who, in his reign, had
either leaned in their hearts towards
thefe idolatries,— or whofe principles
and morals were fuch, that all reli-
gions iuited them alike. — But that
the honeit and confeientious men
of Judah, unable to behold fuch
abominations, hung down every man
his head like a bulrulh, and put
lack-cloth and afhes under him.

This picture of Judah's defolation
might be lbme refemblance of what
every of Ala's fubjects would pro-
bably form to himfelf, the day he
folemnized an exemption from it.— •
And the tranfport was natural, — To
fwear unto the Lord with a loud
voice, and with fhoutino-, and with
C 4 trum-

24 SERMON XIII.

trumpets, and with cornets ; — to re-
joice at the oath which fecured their
future peace, and celebrate it with
all external marks of gladneis.

I have at length gone through the
ftory, which gave the occafion to
this religious ad, which is recorded
of the men of Judah in the text.

I believe there is nor one, in facred
Scripture, that bids fairer for a pa-
rallel to our own times, or that would
admit of an application more fuit-
able to the folemnity of this day.

But men are apt to be (truck with
JikenelTes in fo different a manner,
from the different points of view in

which

SERMON XIII. a5

which they ftand, as well as their
diverfity of judgments, that it is
generally a very unacceptable piece
of ofricioufnefs to fix any certain de-
grees of approach.

In this cafe, it feems fufficient,—
that thofe who will difcern the lead
refemblance, will difcern enough to
make them ferioufly comply with
the devotion of the day •, — and that
thofe who are affected with it in a
llronger manner, and fee the bleffing
of a proteftant king in its faireft
light, with all the mercies which
made way for it, will have ftill more
abundant reafon to adore that good
Being, which has all along protected
it from the enemifs which have rifen

up

z6 SERMON XIII.

up to do it violence •, — but more
efpecially, in a late initance, by
turning down the councils of the
froward head-long, — and confound-
ing the devices of the crafty, — lb
that their hands could not perform
their enterprize. — Though this event,
for many reafons, will ever be told
amongft the felicities of thefe days ;
— yet for none more fo, — than that
it has given us a frefh made of the
continuation of God Almighty's
favour to us : — a part of that great
complicated bleding for which we
are gathered together to return him
thanks.

Let us, therefore, I befeech you,
endeavour to do it in the way which

becomes

S E R M o isr XIII. 27

becomes wife men, and which is
likely to be mod acceptable ; — and
that is, — to purfue the intentions of
his providence, in giving us the
occafion — to become better men, and
by a holy and and honeft converia-
tion, make ourfelves capable of en-
joying what God has done for us. — >
In vain (hall we celebrate the day with
a loud voice, and with ihouting, and
with trumpets, — if we do not do it
likewife with the internal and more
certain marks of fincerity, — a refor-
mation and purity in our manners. — ■
It is impofiible a finful people can.
either be grateful to God, or pro-
perly loyal to their prince.— They
cannot be grateful to the one, be-
caufe they live not under a ienfe of

his

28 SERMON XIII.

his mercies ; — nor can they be loyal
to the other, becaufe they daily
offend in two of the tendered points
which concern his welfare. — By firft
difengaging the providence of God
from taking our part, and then giving
'a heart to our adverfaries to lift their
hands againft us, who mud know,
that, if we forfake God, God will
forfake us. — Their hopes, their de-
iigns, their wickednefs againft us,
can only be built upon ours towards
God.

For if they did not think we did
evil, they durft not hope we could
peri Hi.

Ceafe,

SERMON XIII. 29

Ceafe, therefore, to do evil -, — for
by- following righteoufnefs, you will
make the hearts of your enemies
faint, they will turn their backs
againft your indignation,— and their
weapons will fall from their hands.

Which may God grant, through
the merits and mediation of his Son
Jefus Chrift, to whom be all honour,
&c. Amen.

SERMON XIV.

Follow Peace.

SERMON XIV.

Hebrews xii. 14.

Follow peace uitb all men, and holi-
nefs, without which no man Jhall fee
the Lord.

TKE great end and defign of
our holy religion, next to the
main view of reconciling us to God,
was to reconcile us to each other ; —
by teaching us to fubdue all thofe
unfriendly difpofitions in our nature,
which unfit us for happinefs, and the
focial enjoyment of the many blef-
fings which God has enabled us to
partake of in this world, miferable
Vol. VII. D as

34 S E R M O N XIV. .

as it is, in many refpects. — Could
ehriftianity perfuade the profeflbrs
of it into this temper, and engage ■
us, as its doctrine requires, to go on
and exalt our natures, and, after the
fubduction of the moil unfriendly of
our paffions, to plant, in the room of
them, all thofe (more natural to the
foil) humane and benevolent incli-
nations, which, in imitation of the
perfections of God, mould difpofe us
to extend our love and goodnefs to
our fellow creatures, according to
the extent of our abilities •, — in like
manner, as the goodnefs of God ex-
tends itfelf over all the works of the
creation : — could this be accom-
plimed, — the world would be worth
jiving in ; — and might be confidered
6 by

SERMON XIV. 35

by us as a foretafte of what we fhouid
enter upon hereafter.

But fuch a fyftem, you'll fay, is
merely vifionary ; — and, confidering
man as a creature fo befet with felfifh-
nefs, and other fretful paffions that
propensity prompt him to, though
it is to be wifhed, it is not to be
expected. — But our religion enjoins
us to approach as near this fair
pattern as we can •, and, if it be
poMible, as much as lieth in us, to
live peaceably with all men ; — where
the term, — If poffible, I own, implies
it may not only be difficult, -but
fomecimes impoffible. — Thus the
words of the text, — Folio. v peace, — •
may by fome be thought to imply, —
D 2 that

06 SERMON XIV.

0

that this defireable blefiing may
fometimes fly from us •, — but ftill we
are required to follow it, and not
ceafe the purfuit, till we have ufed all
warrantable methods to regain and
fettle it : — becaufe, adds the Apoflle,
without this frame of mind, no man
mail fee the Lord. For heaven is the
region, as well as the recompenfe,
of peace and benevolence ; and fucli
as do not defire and promote it
here, are not qualified to enjoy it
hereafter.

For this caufe, in Scripture lan-
guage,— peace is always fpoke of as
the great and comprehenfive blef-
fing, which included in it all man-
ner of happinefs j — and to wilh peace
9 to

SERMON XIV. 37

to any houfe or perfon, was, in one
word, to wifh them all that was good
and defireable. — Becaufe happinefs
confifts in the inward complacency
and fatisfaction of the mind ; and he
who has fuch a difpofition of foul, as
to acquiefce and reft contented with
all the events of providence, can
want nothing this world can give
him. — Agreeable to this, — that fhort,
but moil comprehenfive, hymn fung
by angels at our Saviour's birth,
declaratory of the joy and happy
ends of his incarnation, — after glory,
in the firft, to God, — the next note
which founded was, Peace upon earth,
and good-will to men. — It was a
public wifh of happinefs to man-
kind, and implied a folemn charge
D 3 to

38 SERMON XIV.

to purfue the means that would ever
kad to it. — And, in truth, the good
tidings of the gofpel are nothing
elie but a grand meflfage and embafiy
of peace, to let us know, that our
peace is made in heaven.

The prophet Ifaiah ftiles our
Saviour the Prince of Peace, long
before he came into the world -,.
— and to anfwer the title, he made
choice to enter into it at a time
when ail nations were at peace with
each ether -, which was in the days
of Augufcus, — when the temple of
Janus was fhut, and all the alarms
of war were hufhed and filenced
throughout the world. — At his birth,
the hod of heaven defcended, and

proclaimed

SERMON XIV. 39

proclaimed peace on earth, as the
bed ilat'e and temper the world could
be in to receive and welcome the
Author of it. — Kis future conver-
fation and doctrine, here upon earth,
was every way agreeable with his
peaceable entrance upon it ; — the
whole courfe of his life being but
one great example of meeknefs,
peace and patience. — At his death,
it was the only legacy he bequeathed
to his followers : — My peace I give
unto you. — Kow far this has taken
place, or been actually enjoyed, — .
not my intention to enlarge upon,
any further than juft to obferve how
precious a btqueft it was, from the
many miferies and calamities which
have, and ever will, enfue from the
D 4 wan:;

40 SERMON XIV.

want of it. — If we look into the
larger circle of the world, — what
defolations, diflbkuions of govern-
ment, and invafions of property ! —
what rapine, plunder, and profana-
tion of the mod facred rights of man-
kind, are the certain unhappy efFeiU
of it ! — fields dyed in blood, — the
cries of orphans and widows, bereft
of their be ft help, too fully inftrucl:
us. — Look into private life, — be-
hold how good and pleafant a thing
it is to live together in unity ; — it
is like the precious ointment poured
upon the head of Aaron, that run
down to his fkirts ; — importing, that
this balm of life is felt and enjoyed,
not only by governors of kingdoms,
but is derived down to the loweft

rank

SERMON XIV. 41

rank of life, and tailed in the moil
private recelTes j — all, from the king
to the peafant, are refrefhed with its
bleffings, without which we can find
no comfort in any thing this world
can give. — It is this bleffing gives
every one to fit quietly under his
vine, and reap the fruits of his labour
and induftry : — in one word, — which
befpeaks who is the beilower of it. —
It is that only which keeps up the
harmony and order of the world, and
preferves every thing in it from ruin
and confufion.

There is one faying of our Savi-
our's, recorded by St. Matthew, which,
at firft fight, feems to carry fome op-
pofition to this doctrine j — I came

not

42 SERMON XIV\

not to fend peace on earth, but a
fword. — But this reaches no farther
than the bare words, not entering fo
deep as to arTecl the fenfe, or imply-
any contradiction ; — intimating only,
— that the preaching of the gofpel
will prove in the event, through fun-
dry unhappy caufes, fuch as pre-
judices, the corruption of mens
hearts, a paffion for idolatry and fu-
perftiticn, the occaHon of much vari-
ance and divifion even amongft near-
eft relations ; — -yea, and oft-times cf
bodily death, and many calamities ,
and perfections, which actually en-
fued upon the firft preachers and fol-
lowers of it. — Or the words may be
underftood, — as a beautiful defcrip-
tion of the inward comefts and

oppofuion

SERMON XIV. 43

oppofkion which chriftianity would
occafion in the heart of man, — from
its oppofitions to the violent paftions
of our nature, — which would engage
us in a perpetual warfare. — This was
not only a fword, — a divifion betwixt
neareft kindred j — but it was divid-
ing a man againft himfelf ; — fetting
up an oppofition to an intereft long
tftablifhed, — ftrong by nature,—
more fo by uncontrouled cuftom. —
This is verified every hour in the
ftruggles for maftery betwixt the
principles of the world, the flelh and
the devil ; — which fet up fo ftrong a
confederacy, that there is need of
all the helps which reafon and chrif-
tianity can offer to bring them
down.

But

44 SERMON XIV.

But this contention is not that
againft which fuch exhortations in the
gofpel are levelled •, — for the Scrip-
ture mult be interpreted by Scrip-
ture, and be made confident with
itfelf. — And we find the diftinguifh-
ing marks and doctrines, by which
all men were to know who were
Chrift's difciples, — was that benevo-
lent frame of mind towards all our
fellow-creatures, which, by itfelf, is a
fufficient fecurity for the particular
focial duty here recommended : — fo
far from meditations of war^ — for
love thinketh no evil to his neighbour ;
— fo far from doing any, it harbours
not the lead thought of it •, but, on
the contrary, rejoices with them that

rejoice,

SERMON XIV. 45

rejoice, and weeps with them that
weep.

This debt chriflianity has highly-
exalted ; though it is a debt that we
were fenfible of before, and acknow-
ledged to be owed to human nature,
— which, as we all partake of, — fo
ought we to pay it in a fui table re-
fpecl. — For, as men, we are allied to-
gether in the natural bond of bro-
therhood, and are members one of
another. — We have the fame Father
in heaven, who made us and takes care
of us all. — Our earthly extraction
too is nearer alike, than the pride of
the world cares to be reminded of:
— for Adam was the father of us all,
and Eve the mother of all living. —

The

jsfi S E R M O.N . XIV.

The prince and the beggar fprung
from the fame flocks, as wide afunder
as the branches are. — So that, in this
> : w, the mod upftart family may
vie antiquity, and compare families
with the greateft monarchs. — We are
ail formed too of the fame mould,
and muft equally return to the fame
dufb. — So that, to .love our neigh-
bour, p.r\.A live quietly with him, is
to live at peace with ourfelves. — He
is but i If-multiplied, and enlarged
into another form •, and to be un-
kind or cruel to him, is but, as Solo-
mon obferves of the unmerciful, to be
cruel to our own fiefh. — As a farther
motive and engagement to this
peaceable commerce with each other,
- — God has placed us all in one ano-

ther's

S E R M O N XIV. 47

ther's power by turns, — in a condi-
tion of mutual need and dependence.
— There is no man fo liberally
(locked with earthlv bleflingrs, as to
be able to live without another man's
aid. — God, in his wifdom, has fo dif-
penfed his gifts, in various kinds and
meafures, as to render us helpful, and
make a fecial intercourfeindifpenfable.
— The prince depends on the labour
and induftry of the peafant ; — and
the wealth and honour of the greater!
perfons are fed and fupported from
the fame fource.

This the Apoftle hath elegantly fet
forth to us by the familiar refem-
blance of the natural body; — where-
in there are many members, and a 1-1

have

48 SERMON XIV.

have not the fame office •, but the

different faculties and operations of

each, are for the ufe and benefit of

the whole. — The eye fees not for

kfelf, but for the other members ; —

and is fet up as a light to direct

them : — the feet ferve to fupport and

carry about the other parts ; and the

hands act and labour for them ail.

It is the fame in flates and kino--

o

doms, wherein there are many mem-
bers, yet each in their feveral func-
tions and employments ; which, if
peaceably difcharged, are for the har-
mony of the whole ftate. — Seme are
eyes and guides to the blind ; —
others, feet to the lame and impo-
tent;— fome to fupply the place of
the head, to affifc with council and

direction ;

SERMON XIV. 49

direction ; — others the hand, to be
uieful by their labour and induftry.
— To make this link of dependance
ftill ftronger, — there is a great por-
tion of mutability in all human af-
fairs^ to make benignity of temper
not only our duty, but Our intereft an j
wifdom. — There is no condition in
lite fo fixed 3nd permanent as to be out
of danger, or the reach of change : — -
and we all may depend upon it, that
we (hall take our turns of wanting
and dehring. — By how many un-
forefeen caufes may riches take
wing! — The crowns of princes may
be fhaken, and the greateft that ever
awed the world have experienced
what the turn of the wheel can do. —
That which hath happened to one
Vol. VII. E man,

co S E R M O N XIV.

man, may befal another •, and, there-
fore, that excellent rule ,of our Savi-
our's ought to govern us in all our
actions, — Whatfoever ye would that
men fhould do to you, do yqu alio to
them likewife. — Timeand chance hap^
pens to all •, — and the mod affluent
may be ftript of all, and find his
worldly comforts like fo many wi-
thered leaves dropping from him. —
Sure nothing can better become us,
than hearts fo full of pur depen.dance
as to overflow with mercy, and pity,
and good-will towards mankind. —
To exhort us to this, is, in other
words, to exhort us to follow peace
•with all men : — the firft is the root,
— this the fair fruit and happy pro-
duct of it.

There-

SERMO N XIV. 51

Therefore, my beloved brethren,
in the bowels of mercy, let us put
away anger, and ^malice, and evil
fpeaking •, — let us fly all clamour and
ftrife i — let ' us be kindly affected
one to another, — following peace
with all men, and holinefs, that we
may fee the Lord.

Which God of his infinite mercy
grant, through the merits of his Son,
©ur Lord and Saviour, Amen.

E

SERMON XV.

Search the Scriptures.

Ej

*

•

-.- •

SERMON XV.

St. John v. 39.
Search the Scriptures.

THAT things of the mofl inef>
timable ufe and value, for want
of due application and ftudy laid out
upon them, may be paffed by unre-
garded, nay, even looked upon with
coldnefs and averfion, is a truth too
evident to need enlarging on. — Nor
is it lefs certain that prejudices, con-
tracted by an unhappy education,
will fomctimes fo ftop up all the paf-
iages to our hearts, that the moft
amiable objects can never find accefs,

E 4 ©r

56 S E R M O N XV.

or bribe us by all their charms into
juftice and impartiality. — It would be
pacing the tendereft reflection upon
the age we live in, to fay it is owing
to one of thefe, that thofe inefti-
mable books, the Sacred Writings,
meet fo often with a difrelifh (what
makes the accufation almoft incredi-
ble) amongft perfons who fet up for
men of tafte and delicacy; who pre-
tend to be charmed with what they
call beauties and nature in claflical
authors, and in other things would
blufh not to be reckoned amono-ft
found and impartial critics. — But fo
far has negligence and preporTeffion
Hopped their cars againft the voice of
the charmer, that they turn over
thofe awful facred pages with inat-
tention

S E R M O N XV. 57

tention and an unbecoming indiffe-
rence, unaffected amidfl ten thoufand
iublime and noble paflages, which,
by the rules of found criticifm and
reafon, may be demonftrated to be
truly eloquent and beautiful.

Indeed the opinion of falfe Greek
and barbarous language, in the Old
and New Teftament, had, for fome
ages, been a ftumbling-block to ano-
ther fet of men, who were profeffedly
great readers and admirers of the
ancients. — The facred writings were,
by thefe peifons, rudely attacked on
all fides : expreffions which came not
within the compafs of their learning,
were branded with barbarifm and fo-
lecifm j words which fcarce fignified

any

S$ SERMO N XV.

any thing but the ignorance of thofe
who laid fuch groundlefs charges o»
them. — Prefumptuous man ! — Shall
he, who is but duft and allies, dare
to find fault with the words of that
Being, who firfl infpired man with
language, and taught his mouth to
utter ; who opened the lips of the
dumb, and made the infant eloquent ?
— -Theie perfons, as they attacked the
mibired writings on the foot of cri-
tics and men of learning, accordingly
have been treated as fuch : and tho'
a fhor'ter way might have been gone
to work, ■ which was, — that as their
accufations reached no farther than
the bare' words and phrafeology of
the Bibk, they, in no wife, affedted
the ientirnents'- "and found nels of the
3 doc-

SERMON XV. 59

doctrines, which were conveyed with
as much clearnefs and perfpicuity to
mankind, as they could have been,
had the language been written with
the utmoit elegance and grammatical
nicety. And even though the charge
of barbarous idioms could be made
out ; — yet the caufe of chriftianity was
thereby no ways affected, but remain-
ed juft in the Hate they found it. —
Yet, unhappily for them, they even
mifcarried in their favourite point j —
there being few, if any at ail, of the
Scripture exprefiions, which may not
be juftified by numbers of parallel
modes of fpeaking, made ufe of
amongft the pureft and moft authen-
tic Greek authors. — This, an able
hand amongft us, not many years

ago.

6o S E R M O N XV.

ago, has fufficiently made out, and
thereby baffled and expofed all their
prefumptuous and ridiculous afifer-

tions. — Thefe perfons, bad and de-
ceitful as they were, are yet far out-
gone by a third fet of men. — J wifh
we had, not too many instances of
them, who, like foul ftomachs, that
turn the fweeteft food to bitternefs,
upon all occafions endeavour to
make merry with facred Scripture,
and turn every thing they meet with
therein into banter and burlefque. —
But as men of this (lamp, by their
excefs of wickednefs and weaknefs
together, have entirely difarmed us
from arguing with them as reafon-
able creatures, it is not only making
them too confiderable, but likewife

to

SERMON XV. 61

to no purpofe to fpend much time
sbout them •, they being, in the
language of the Apoftle, creatures of
no underftanding, fpeaking evil of
things they know not, and fhall
utterly perifh in their own corrup-
tion.— Of thefe two laft, the one is
difqualified for being argued with,
and the other has no occafion for it ;
they being already filenced. — Yet
thofe that were Mrft mentioned, may
not altogether be thought unworthy
of our endeavours ; — being perfons,
as was hinted above, who, though
their taftes are fo far vitiated that
they cannot relifh the facred Scrip-
tures, yet have imaginations capable
of being raifed by the fancied excel-
lencies of claflical writers. — And in-
deed

62 SERMON XV,

deed thefe perfons claim from us
fome degree of pity, when, through
the unfkilfulnefs of preceptors in
their youth, or fome other unhappy
circumftance in their education, they
have been taught to form falfe and
wretched notions of good writing. —
When this is the cafe, it is no wonder-
they mould be more touched and
affected with the drefied-up trifles and
empty conceits of poets and rheto-
ricians, than they are with that true
fublimity and grandeur of fentiment
which glow throughout every page of
the infpired writings. — By way of in-
formation, fuch mould be inftruclcd : —

There are two forts of eloquence,

the oneindeed fcarce deferves the name

of

SERMON XV. 63

of it, which confifts chiefly in laboured
and poliihed periods, an over-curious
and artificial arrangement of figures,
tinfel'd over with a gaudy embellifh-
ment of words, which glitter, but con-
vey little or no light to the underftand-
ing. This kind of writing is for the
moft part much affected and admired
by people of weak judgment and
vitious taite, but is a piece of .affec-
tation and formality the facred writers
are utter ftrangers to. — It is a vain
and boyilh eloquence ; and as it has
always been efteemed below the
great geniufes of all ages, fo much
more fo, with refped to thofe writers
who were a&ed by the fpirit of in-
finite wifdom, and therefore wrote
with that force and majefty with

which

64 S E R M O N XV.

which never man writ. — The other
fort of eloquence is quite the reverfe
to this, and which may be laid to
be thz true characleriftic of the holy-
Scriptures j where the excellence
does not arife from a laboured and
far-fetched elocution, but from a
furprifing mixture of fimplicity and
majeily, which is a double charade/,
fo difficult to be united, that it is
feldom to be met with in compo-
fitions merely human. — We fee no*
thing in holy writ of affectation and
fuperfluous ornament. — As the in-
finite wife Being has condefcended
to (loop to our language, thereby to
convey to us the light of revelation,
fo has he been pleaied graciouily to
accommodate it to us with the molt

natural

SERMON XV. 63

natural and graceful plainnefs it
would admit of. — Now, it is obferv-
able that the moft excellent pro-
phane authors, whether Greek or
Latin, lofe mod of their graces
whenever we find them literally trans-
lated.— Homer's famed represen-
tation of Jupiter, in his firfl book; —
his cried-up defcription of a tempeft 5
— his relation of Neptune's fnaking
the earth, and opening it to it's
center •, — his defcription of Pallas's
horfes ; with numbers of other long-
fince-admired paffages, — flag, and
almoft vanifh away, in the vulgar
Latin translation.

Let any one but take the pains to

read the common Latin interpre-

Vol. VII. F tatioa

66 SERMON XV.

tation of Virgil, Theocritus, or even
of Pindar, and one may venture to
affirm he will be able to trace out
but few remains of the graces which
charmed him fo much in the ori-
ginal.— The natural conclufion from
hence is, that in the claffical authors,
the exprefllon, the fweetnefs of the
numbers, occafioned by a mufical
placing of words, conilitute a great
part of their beauties ; — whereas, in
the Sacred Writings, they confift more
in the ereatnels of the things them-
felves, than in the words and ex-
preflions. — The ideas and concep-
tions are fo great and lofty in their
own nature, that they necefTarily ap-
pear magnificent in the mod artlefs
drefs. — Look but into the Bible, and

5 we

SERMON XV. 67

we fee them fhine through the mort
fimple and literal tranflations. — That
glorious defcription which Mofes
gives of the creation of the heavens
and the earth, which Longinus, the
belt critic the eaftern world ever pro-
duced, was lb juftly taken with, has
not loft the leaft whit of its intrinfic
worth ; and though it has undergone
fo many tranflations, yet triumphs
over ail, and breaks forth with as
much force and vehemence as in the
original. — Of this damp are num-
bers of paffages throughout the
Scriptures ; — inftance, that cele-
brated defcription of a temped in the
hundred and feventh pfalm ; thofe
beautiful reflections of holy job,
upon the fhortnefs of life, and infta-
1< 2 bility

£3 SERMON XV.

bility of human affairs, fo judicioufly
appointed by our church in her
office for the burial of the dead •,-—
that lively defcription of a horfe of
war, in the thirty-ninth chapter of
Job, in which, from the 19th to the
26th verfe, there is fcarce a word
which does not merit a particular
explication to difplay the beauties
of. — I might add to thefe, thofe
tender and pathetic expoflulations
with the children of Ifracl, which
run throughout all the prophets,
which the moft uncritical reader can
fcarce help being- affected with.

And now, O inhabitants of Jeru-
falem, and men of Judah, judge, I
pray you, betwixt me and my vine-
yard.—*

SERMON XV. 6$

yard. — What could have been done'
more to my vineyard that I have not
done ? — wherefore, when I expected
that it fhould bring forth grapes,
brought it forth wild grapes ? — and
yet, ye fay, the way of the Lord is
unequal. — Hear now, O houfe of
Iirael, — is not my way equal ? — are
not your ways unequal ?— have I
aiy pleafure at all that the wicked
fhould die, and not that he mould
return from his ways and live ? — I
have nourifhed and brought up chil-
dren, and they have rebelled againft
me. — The ox knows his owner, and
the afs his rriaft-er's crib ; — but Ifrael
doth not know, my people doth not
confider. — There is nothing in all
the eloquence cf the heathen world
F o com-

70 SERMON XV.

comparable to the vivacity and teiv
dernefs of thefe reproaches; — there
is fomething in them fo thoroughly
affecting; and fo noble and fublime
withal, that one might challenge
the writings of the moil celebrated
orators of antiquity to produce any
thing like them. — Thefe obfervations
upon the fuperiority of the infpired
pen-men to heathen ones, in that
which regards the compofition more
confpicuoufly, hold good when they
are confidered upon the foot of hifto-
rians. — Not to mention that pro-
phane hiftories give an account only
of human achievements and tem-
poral event?, which, for the mod
parr, are fo full of uncertainty and
contradictions, that we are at a lofs

where

SERMON XV. 71

where to feek for truth-, — but that
the facred hiltory is the hiitory of
God himfelf, — the hiftory of his
omnipotence and infinite wifdom, his
univerfal providence, his juftice and
mercy, and all his oilier attributes,
difplayed under a thouland different
forms, by a feries of the moft various
and wonderful events that ever hap-
pened to any nation, or language : —
not to infift upon this vifible lupe-
riority in facred hiftory, — there is
yet another undoubted excellence
the prophane hiftorians feldom arrive
ar, which is almoft the diilinguifhing
character of the facred ones •, namely,
that unaffected, artlefs manner of re-
lating hiitorical fads, — which is io
-entirely of a piece with every ether
F 4 part

72 SERMON XV.

part of the holy writings. — What I
mean will be belt made out by a few
instances. — In the hiftory of Jofephr
(which certainly is told with the
greater! variety of beautiful and af-
fecting circumftances) when Jofeplr
makes himfelf known, and weeps
aloud upon the neck of his dear
brother Benjamin, that all the houfe-
of Pharoah heard him ; — at that in-
ftanr, none of his brethren are intro-
duced a3 uttering aught, either to-
exprefs their prefent joy, or palliate
their former injuries to him, — On all
fides, there immediately enfnes a
deep and folemn filence j— a filence
infinitely more eloquent and expref-
five, than any thing elfe could have
bsQn, fubftituted in hs place. — Had

Thucy-

S E R M O N XV. 72

Thucydides, Herodotus, Livy, or any
of the celebrated claffical hiftorians,
been employed in writing this hiftory,
when they came to this point, they
would, doubtlefs, have exhaufted all
their fund of eloquence in furnifhing,
Jofeph's brethren with laboured and
fludied harangues ; which, however
fine they might have been in them-
felves, would neverthelefs have been
unnatural, and altogether improper
on the occafion. — For when fuch a
variety of contrary paflions broke in
upon them, — what tongue was able
to utter their hurried and diffracted
thoughts ? — When remorfe, furprize,
fhame, joy and gratitude ffruggled
together in their boibms, how un-
cloquently would their lips have per-
formed

74 S E R M O N XV.

formed their duty ? — how unfaith-
fully their tongues have ipoken the
language of their hearts ? — In this
cafe, filence was truly eloquent and
natural, and tears exprefTcd what ora-
tory was incapable of.

If ever thefe perfons I have been
addreffing myfelf to, can be perfuaded
to follow the advice in the text, of
fearching the Scriptures, —the work of
their falvation will be begun upon its
true foundation. — For, nrft, they will
infenfibly be led to admire the beau-
tiful propriety of their language : —
when a favourable opinion is Con-
ceived of this, next, they will more
■clofely attend to the goodnefs of the
moral, and the purity and foundneis

of

S E R M O N XV. 75

of the doctrines. — The pleafure of
reading will itill be increafed, by that
near concern which they will find
themfclves to have in thofe many im-
portant truths, which they will fee lb
clearly demonftrated in the Bible,
that grand charter of our eternal hap-
pinefs. — It is the fate of mankind, too
often, to ieem infenfible of what they
may enjoy at the eafieft rate. — What
might not our neighbouring Romifh
countries, who groan under the yoke
of popifh impofitions and prieit-crafr,
what might not thofe poor, mif-
guided creatures give, for the happi-
nefs which we know not how to va-
lue,— of being born in a country
where a church is eftablifhed by our
laws, and encouragad by our prin-
ces v

76 S E R M O N XV.

ces •, which not only allows the free
ftudy of the Scriptures, but even ex-
horts and invites us to it -, — a church
that is a ftranger to the tricks and
artifice of having the Bible in an un-
known tongue, to give the greater
latitude to the defigns of the clergy
in impofing their own trumpery, and
foifting in whatever may bed ferve
to aggrandife themfelves, or en (lave
the wretches committed to their trull.
—-In fliorr, our religion was not given
us to raile our imaginations with or-
naments of words, or ftrokes of elo-
quence ; but to purify our hearts,
and lead us into the paths of righ-
teoufnefs. — However, not to defend
ourfelves, — when the attack is prin-
cipally level'd at this point, — might

give-

S E R M O N XV. 77

o-ive occafion to our adverfaries to
triumph, and charge us either with
negligence or inability. — It is well
known how willing the enemies of
our religion are to feek occafions
againft us •, — how ready to magnify
every mote in our eyes ro the bignefs
of a beam ; — how eager, upon the
leaft default, to infult and cry out, —
There, there ! fo would we have it : —
not, perhaps, that we are fo much the
fubjett of malice and averfion, but
that the licentious age feems bent
upon bringing chriftianky into dis-
credit at any rate •, and, rather than
mifs the aim, would ftrike through
the fides of thofe that are fent to teach
it.— Thank God, the truth of cur
holy religion is cftablifhed with fuch
7 ftrong

73 SERMON XV.

flrong evidence, that it reds upon a
foundation never to be overthrown,
either by the open affaults or cun-
ning devices of wicked and defien-
ing men. — The part we have to ait
is to be fteady, fober and vigilant ;
to be ready to every good work ; to
reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all
long-fuffering; to give occafion of
offence to no man ; that, with well-
doing, we may put to filence the igno-
rance of foolifh men.

I (hall clofe all with that excellent
collect of our church : —

Blefled Lord, who has caufed all
holy Scriptures to be written for our
learning, — grant that we may in fuch-

wife

SERMON XV. 79

wife hear them, read, mark, learn,
and inwardly digeft them, that, by-
patience and comfort of thy holy
word, we may embrace, and ever hold
faft, the blefied hope of everlafling
life, which thou had given us in thy
Son, our Saviour, Jefus Chrift.

Now to God the Father, &c.

SERMON XVI.

Vou VII. G

S E R M O N XVI.

Psalm xcv. 6, 7.

0 come let us worjhip and fall down
before him :—for he is the Lord our
God.

IN this pfalm we find holy David
taken up with the pious contem-
plation of God's infinite power,
majefty and greatnefs : — he confiders
him as the fovereign Lord of the
•whole earth, the maker and fup-
porter of all things ; — that by him
the heavens were created, and all the
hod of them •, that the earth was
wifely fafhioned by his hands •. — he
G 2

84 SERMON XVI.

had founded it upon the feas, and
eftablifhed it upon the floods : — that
we likewife, the people of his paf-
ture, were raifed up by the fame cre-
ating hand, from nothing, to the
dignity of rational creatures, made,
with refpect to our reaibn and un-
derftanding, after his own molt per-
fect image.

It was natural to imagine that fuch
a contemplation would light up a
flame of devotion in any grateful
man's bread ; and accordingly we
find it break forth, in the words of
the text, in a kind of religious
rapture : —

O come let us worfhip and fall down

before him : — for he is the Lord our

Gcd,

Sure

SERMON XVI. 8

j

Sure never exhortation to prayer
and worihip can be better enforced
than upon this principle, — that God
is the caufe and creator of all things v
— that each individual being is up-
held in the ftation it was firft placed,
by the fame hand which fird formed
it ; — that all the bleffings and ad-
vantages, which are necefiary to the
happinefs and welfare of beings on
earth, are only to be derived from
the fame fountain j. — and that the.
only way to do it, is to fecure an in-
tereft in his favour, by a grateful
expreffion of our fenfe for the bene-
fits we have received, and a humble
dependance upon him for thofe we
expect and (land in want of. — That,
we have in heaven, fays the Pfalmift,
G 3 but

86 SERMON XVI.

but thee, O God, to look unto or
depend on, to whom fhall we pour
out our complaints, and frc^k of all
our wants and necelnties, but to thy
poodnefs, which is ever willing to
confer upon us whatever becomes'us
to afk, and thee to "rant : — becaufe
thou haft promifed to be nigh unto
all that call upon thee, — yea, unto
alt fuch as call upon thee faithfully ;
— that thou wilt fulfil the defire of
them that fear thee, that thou wilt
alfo hear their cry, and help them.

Of all duties, prayer certainly is
the fweetefr. and mod eafy. — There
are fame duties which may feem to
occafion a troublefome oppofition to
the natural workings of fielh and

blood j—

SERMON XVI. 87

blood -, — fuch as the forgivenefs of
injuries, and the love of our enemies -9
— others, which will force us un-
avoidably into a perpetual druggie -
with our pafllons, — which war aga'inft
the foul; — fuch as chaftity, — tempe-
rance,— humility. — There are other
virtues, which feem to bid us forget
our prelent intereft for a while, — ■
fuch as charity and generality •, —
others, that teach us to forget it at
all times, and wholly to fix our affec-
tions on things above, and in no cir-
cumftance to acl: like men that look
for a continuing city here, but upon
one to come, whofe builder and
maker is God. — But this duty of
prayer and thankfglving to God —
has no fuch oppositions to encounter ;
G 4 —it

88 SERMON XVI.

•—it takes no bullock out of thy field,
—no horfe out of thy liable, — nor
he-goat out of thy fold •, — it coft-
eth no wearinefs of bones, no un-
timely watchings j — it requireth no
ftrength of parts, or painful ftudy,
but juft to know and have a true fenfe
of our dependance, and of the mer-
cies by which we are upheld : — and
•with this, in every place and pofture
of body, a good man may life up his
foul unto the Lord his God.

Indeed, as to the frequency of put-
ting this duty formally in practice,
as the precept mud necefifarily have
varied according to the different fta-
tions in which God has placed us ; —
fo he has been pleafed to determine

nothing

SERMON XVI. 8$

nothing precifely concerning it : —
for, perhaps, it would be unreafon-
able to expect that the day-labourer,
or he that fupponts a numerous family
by the fweat of his brow, fhould fpend
as much of his time in devotion, as
the man of leifure and unbounded
wealth. — This, however, in the ge-
neral, may hold good, that we are
bound to pay this tribute to God, as
often as his providence has put an
opportunity into our hands of fo
doing; — provided that no plea, drawn
from the necefTary attention to the
affairs of the world, which many
men's fituations oblige them to, may
be fuppofed to extend to an exemp-
tion from paying their morning and

evening facrifice to God. — For it

feems

§o SERMON XV L

feems to be the lead that can be done
to anfwer the demand of our duty in
this point, — fucceflively to open and
fhut up the day in prayer and thanks-
giving •, — fince there is not a morning
thou rifeft, or a nio-ht thou laved
down, but thou art indebted for it to
the watchful providence of Almighty
God. — David and Daniel, vvhofe
names are recorded in Scripture for
future example : — the firft, though a
mighty king, embarafled with wars
abroad, and unnatural difturbances at
home-, a Situation, one would think,
would allow little time for any thing
but his own and his kingdom's fafety ;
—yet found he leifure to pray /even
times a day : — the latter, the coun-
sellor and firft minifter of date to the

great

S E R M O N XVI. 91

great Nebuchadnezzar -, and though
perpetually fatigued with the affairs
of a mighty kingdom, and the go-
vernment of the whole province of
Babylon, which was committed to
his administration -3 — though near the
perfon of an idolatrous king, and
arnidft the temptations of a luxurious
court, — yet never neglected he his
God ; but, as we read, — he kneeled
upon his knees three times a day,
and prayed, and gave thanks before
him.

A frequent correfpondence with
heaven by prayer and devotion, is the
greateft nouriihment and iupport of
fpiritual life :— it keeps the fenfe of a
God warm and lively within us, —

which

o2 SERMON XVI.

j

which fecures our difpofition, and
Jets fuch guards over us, that hardly
will a temptation prevail againft us.
— Who can entertain a bafe or an im-
pure thought, or think of executing
it, who is incefiantly converfing with
his God ? — or not defpife every temp-
tation this lower world can offer
him, when, by his conftant addrelTes
before the throne of God's majefty,
he brings the glorious profpecl: of
heaven perpetually before his eyes ?

I cannot help here taking notice
of the doctrine of thofe who would
refolve all devotion into the inner
man, and think that there is nothing
more requifite to exprefs our reve-
rence to God, but purity and inte-
grity

SERMON XVI. 93

•grity of heart, — unaccompanied either
with words or actions. — To this opi-
nion it may be juftly anfwered, —
that, in the prefent ftate we are in, we
find fuch a ftrong fympathy and union
between our fouls and bodies, that
the one cannot be touched or fenfibly
•affected, without producing fome cor-
refponding emotion in the other. —
Nature has afligned a different look,
tone of voice, and gefture, peculiar
to t:very paflion and affection we are
fubject to •, and, therefore,- to argue
againlt this ftrict correfpondence
which is held between our fouls and
bodies, — is ■ difputing againft the
frame and mechanifm of human na-
ture.— We are not angels, but men
cloathed with bodies, and, in fome

meafure,

94 SERMON XVI.

meafure, governed by our imagina-
tions, that we have need of all thefe
external helps which nature has made
the interpreters of our thoughts. — ■
And, no doubt, though a virtuous
and a good life are more acceptable
in the fight of God, than either prayer
or thankfgiving; — for, behold, to
obey is better than facrifice, and to
hearken than the fat of rams ; — ne-
verthelefs, as the one ought to be
done, fo the other ought not, by any
means, to be left undone. — As God
is to be obeyed, — fo he is to be wor-
shipped alfo. — For although inward
holinefs and integrity of heart is the
ultimate end of the divine difpenia-
. tions -, — yet external religion is a
certain means of promoting it. — ■

Each

SERMON XVI. 9S

Each of them has its juft bounds ;
— and therefore, as we would not be
fo carnal as merely to reft contented
with the one, — lb neither can we pre-
tend to be fo fpiritual as to neglect
the other.

And though God is all-wife, and
therefore underftands our thoughts
afar off, — and knows the exact de-
grees of our love and reverence to
him, though we mould with-hold
thofe outward marks of it ; — yet God
himfelf has been gracioufly pleafed
to command us to pray to him j — ■
that we mig;-ht bee: the afiiftance of
his grace to work with us againft our
own infirmities ; — that we might ac~
knowledge him to be, what he is, the
5 flip re me

^6 SERMON XVI.

Supreme Lord of the whole world ; — -
that we might teftify the fenfe we have
Or all his mercies and loving kindnefs
to us, — and confefs that he has the
propriety of every thing we enjoy, —
that the earth is the Lord's, and the
fulnefs thereof.

Thus much of this duty of prayer
in general. — From every individual
it may be reafonably expected, from
a bare reflection upon his own fta-
tion, his perfonal wants, and the daily
bleffings which he has received in
particular -, — but, for thofe blefiings
bellowed upon the whole fpecies in
common, — reafon feems further to
require, that a joint return Ihould be
made by as many of the fpecies as

4 can

SERMON XVI. 97

can conveniently alTemble together
for this religious purpofe. — From
hence arifes, likewife, the reafonable-
nefs of publick worfhip, and facred
places fet apart for that purpofe ;
without which, it would be very diffi-
cult to preferve that fenfe of God and
religion upon the minds of men,
which is fo neceflfary to their well-
being, confidered only as a civil fo-
ciety, and with regard to the purpofes
of this life, and the influence which
a juft fenfe of it mull have upon their
actions. — Befides, men, who are united
in focieties, can have no other ce-
ment to unite thenv likewife in re-
ligious ties, as well as in manners of
worfhip and points of faith, but the
Vol. VII. H inili*

98 SERMON XVL

inftitution of folemn times and pub-
lic places deftined for that ufe.

And it is not to be queflioned,
that if the time, as well as place, for
ferving God, were once confidered as
indifferent, and left fo far to e very-
man's choice as to have no calls to
public prayer, however a fenfe of reli-
gion might be preferved a while by a
few fpectilative men, yet that the bulk
of mankind would lofe all knowledge
of it, and in time live without God in
the world. — Not that private prayer
rs the lefs our duty, the contrary of
which is proved above ; and our
Saviour fays, that when we pray to
God in fecret, we (hall be rewarded
openly j — but that, prayers which are

publicly

SERMON XVI. 99

publicly offered up in God's houfe,
tend more to the glory of God, and
the benefit of ourfelves : — for this
reafon, that they are prefumed to be
performed with greater attention and
ierioufnefs, and therefore moil likely
to be heard with a more favourable
acceptance. — And for this, one might
appeal to every man's breafrv whe-
ther he has not been, affecled with
the mod elevated pitch of devotion,
when he gave- thanks in the great
congregation of the faints, and praifed
God amongft much people ? — Of
this united worfhip there is a glo-
rious defcription which St. John gives
us, in the Revelations, where he fup-
pofes the whole univerfe joining toge-
ther, in their feveral capacities, t&
H t give

joo SE R M O N XVI.

give glory in this manner to their
common Lord. --Every creature which
was in heaven, and on earth, and un-
der the earth, and fuch as were in the
feas, and all that were in them, heard
I, crying, — Bleffing, and honour, and
glory, and power, be unto him that
fitteth upon the throne. ■<

But here it may be afked, that if
public worfhip tends fo much to pro-
mote the glory of God, — and is what
is fo indifpenfably the duty and bene-'
fit of every chriftian ftate, — how
came it to pafs, that our blelTed Sa-
viour left no command to his follow-
ers, throughout the gofpel, to fet up
public places of worfhip, and keep
them facrejd for that purpofe .^— It
2 may

S E R M ON XVI. ior

may be anfwered, — that the neceffity
of fetting apart places for divine wor-
fhip, and the Jlolinefs of them when
thus fet apart, feemed already to have
been fo well eftablifhed by former
revelation, as not to need any exprefs
precept upon that fubject : — for tho'
the particular appointment of the
temple, and the confinement of wor-
fhip to that place alone, were only
temporary parts of the Jewifh cove-
nant; yet the neceflity and duty of
having places fomewhere folemnly
dedicated to God carried a moral
reafon with it, and therefore was not
abolifhed with the ceremonial part of
the law. — Our Saviour came not to
deftroy, but to fulfil the law ; — and
therefore the moral precepts of it,
H 3 which

102 SERMON XVI.

which promoted a due regard to the
divine Majefty, remained in as full
force as ever. — And accordingly we
find it atteited, both by chriftian and
heathen writers, that fo foon as the
fecond century, when the number of
believers was much increafed, and the
circumftances of rich converts en-
abled them to do it, — that they be-
gan to erect edifices for divine wor-
ship ; — and though, under the frowns
and oppreffion of the civil power, they
every Sabbath aftembkd themfelves
therein, that with one heart and one
Lip they might declaie whole they
were, and whom they ferved, and, as
the fervants of one Lord, might offer
up their join: prayers and petitions.

I v;;fn

SERMON XVI. 103

I wifh there was no reafon to la-
ment an abatement of this religious
zeal amongft chriftians of later days.
— Though the piety of our forefathers
feems, in a great meafure, to have
deprived us of the merit of building
churches for the fervice of God, there
can be no fuch plea for not frequenting
them in a regular and folemn man-
ner.— How often do people abfenc
themfelves (when in the utmofl: dif-
trefs how to difpofe of themfelves)
from church, even upon thole days
which are fet apart for nothing elfe
but the worfhip of God ; — when, to
trifle that day away, or apply any
portion of it to fecular concerns, is a
facrilege almoft in the literal fenfe

of the word.

II 4 Fiona

io4 SERMON XVI.

From this duty of public prayer
arifes another, which I cannot help
fpeaking of, it being fo dependant
upon it ; — I mean, a ferious, devout
and reijpectful behaviour, when we
are performing this folemn duty in
the houfe of God. — This is furely
the leaft that can be neceflary in the
immediate prefence of the Sovereign
of the world, upon whofe acceptance
of our addrefTes all our prefent and
tutu re happinefs depends.

External behaviour is the refult of
inward reverence, and is therefore
part of our duty to God, whom we
are to worfhip in body as well as
fpirit.

And

SERMON XVI. 105

And as no one mould be wanting
in outward refpect and decorum be-
fore an earthly prince or fuperior,
much lefs mould we be fo before
him, whom the heaven of heavens
cannot contain.

Notwithftanding the obvioufnefs
of this branch of duty, — it feems
often to be little underflood \ and
whoever will take a general furvey
of church behaviour, will often meet
with fcenes of fad variety. — What a
vein of indolence and indevotion
fometimes feems to run throughout
whole congregations ! — what ill-
timed pains do fome take in putting
on an air of gayety and indifference
in the mod in.terefting parts of this

duty,* —

106 SERMON XVI.

duty, — even when they are making
confeffion of their fins, as if they
were afhamed to be thought ferious
with their God ? — Surely, to addrefs
ourfelres to his infinite Majefty after
a negligent and difpafiionate manner,
befides the immediate indignity offer-
ed, it is a fad fign we little confider
the bleflings we afk for, and far lefs
deferve them. — Befides, what is a
prayer, unlefs our heart and affections
go along with it ? — It is not fo
much as the fhadow of devotion -,
and little better than the papifts tel-
ling their beads, — or honouring God
with their lips, when their hearts are
far from him. — The confideration
that a perfon is come to proftrate
himfelf before the- throne of high

heaven,

SERMON XVL 107

heaven, and in that place which is
particularly diftinguimed by his pre-
fence, is iufficient inducement for
any one to watch over his imagi-
nation, and guard againft the leaft ap-
pearance of levity and difrefpect.

An inward fincerity will of ccurfe
influence the outward deportment •,
but where the one is wanting, there
is great reafon to fofpeQ: the abfence
of the other. — I own it is poffible,
and often happens, that this external
garb of religion may be worn, when
there is little within of a piece with
it ; — but 1 believe the converfe of
the propofition can never happen to
be true, that a truly religious frame
of mind fhould exift without fome

outward

io8 SER MO N XVI.

outward mark of it. — The mind
will mine through the veil of flefh
which covers it, and naturally exprefs
its religious difpofitions •, and, if it
poffefies the power of godlinefs,— -will
have the external form of it too.

May God grant us to be defective
in neither, — but that we may fo
praife and magnify God on earth, —
that when he cometh, at the laft day,,
with ten thoufand of his faints in
heaven, to judge the world, we may
be partakers of their eternal inheri-
tance. Amen,

SERMON XVII.

The Ways of Providence juftified
to Man.

SERMON XVII.

Psalm lxxiii. 12, 13.

Behold, thefe are the ungodly who

pro/per in the world* they increafe

in riches.
Verily, I have cleanfed my heart in

vain, and. wajhed my hands in inno-

cency.

THIS complaint of the Pfalrnift's*
concerning the promifcuous
distribution of God's bleffings to the
juft and the unjuft, — that the fun
fhould fhine without diftinction upon
the good and the bad, — and rains
defcend upon the righteous and un-
7 righteous

ii2 SERMON XVII.

righteous man, — is a fubjecl: that has
-afforded much matter for enquiry,
and at one time or other has faifed
doubts to difhearten and perplex the
minds of men. — If the fovereisn
Lord of all the earth does look on,
whence fo much diforder in the face
of things ? — why is it permitted, that
wife and good men ihould be left
©ften a prey to fo many miferies and
diftrefies of life, — whilft the guilty
and foolifh triumph in their offences,
and even the tabernacles of robbers
profper ?

To this it is anfwered, — that there-
fore there is a future ftate of rewards
and punifhments to take place after
this life, — wherein all thefe inequali-
ties

SERMON XVII. 113

ties (hall be made even, where the
circumftances of every man's cafe
Ihall be confidered, and where God
fnall be juftified in all his ways, and
every mouth fhall be ftopt.

If this was not fo, — if the ungodly
were to profper in the world, and
have riches in pofTefTion, — and no
diftinction to be made hereafter, —
to what purpofe would it have been
to have maintained our integrity ?—
Lo ! then, indeed, lhould I have
cleanfed my heart in vain, and walhed
my hands in innocency.

It is farther faid, and what is a
more direfl anfwer to the point, —
that when God created man, that he

Vol. VII. I might

U4 SERMON XVII.

might make him capable of receiv*
ing happinefs at his hands hereafter,
— he endowed him with liberty and
freedom of choice, without which he
could not have been a creature ac-
countable for his actions ; — that it
is merely from the bad ufe he makes
of thefe gifts, — - that all thofe inftan-
ces of irregularity do refult, upon
which the complaint is here ground-
ed,—which could no ways be pre-
vented, but by the total fubverfion
of human liberty ; — that mould God
make bare his arm, and interpofe on
every injuftice that is committed, —
mankind might be faid to do what
was right, — but, at the fame time,
to lofe the merit of it, fince they
would aft under force and neceflity,

and

SERMON XVII. 115

and not from the determinations of:
their own mind ; — that, upon this
fuppofition, — a man could with no
more reafon expect to go to heaven
for acts of temperance, juftice and
humanity, than tor the ordinary ir.v
pulles of hunger and third, which
nature directed •, — that God has dealt
with man upon better terms ; — he
has firft endowed him with liberty
and free-will ; — he has fet life and
death, good and evil, before him •, —
that he has given him faculties to
find out what will be the confequen-
ces of either way of acting, and then
left him to take which courfe his rea-
fon and direction mall point out.

I 2 I fhall

n6 SERMON XVII.

I (hall defift from enlarging any
further upon either of the foregoing
.arguments .in vindication of God's
providence, which are urged fo often
with fo much force and conviction,
as to leave no room for a reafonable
reply •, — fince the miferies which be-
fal the good, and the Teeming happi-
nefs of the wicked, could not be
otherwife in fuch a free ftate and
condition as this in which we are
placed.

In all charges of this kind, we ge-
nerally take two things for granted ;
— lit, That in the inltances we give,
we know certainly the good from the
badj — and, 2dly, The refpeclive

ftate

SERMON XVII. ,i7
ftate of their enjoyments or fuffer-

mgs.

I fhall, therefore, in the remaining
part of my difcourfe, take up your
time with a fhort enquiry into the
difficulties of coming not only at the
true characters of men, — but like-
wife of knowing either the degrees of
their real happinefs or mifery in this
life.

The firft of thefe will teach us can-
dour in our judgments of others ;
i — the fecond, to which I fhall con-
fine myfelf, will teach us humility
in our reafonings upon the ways of
God.

I 3 For

ji8 SERMON XVII.

For though the miferies of the
good, and the profperity of the
wicked, are not in general to be de-
nied ; — yet I fhall endeavour to mew,
that the particular infcances we are
apt to produce, when we cry out in
the words of the Pfalmift, Lo ! thefe
are the ungodly, — thefe profper, and
are happy in the world ; — I fay, I
fhall endeavour to fhew, that we are
fo ignorant of the articles of the
charge, — and the evidence we go upon
to make them good is fo lame and
defective, — as to be fufEcient by it-
felf to check all propenficy to expof-
tulate with God's providence, allow-
ing there was no other way of clear-
ing up the matter reconcileably to
his attributes.

And,

SERMON XVil. nrj

And, fir ft, — what certain and in-
fallible marks have we of the good-
nefs or badnefs of the bulk of man-
kind ?

If we truft to fame and reports, — »
if they are good, how do we know
but they may proceed from partial
friendfibip or flattery ? — when bad,
from envy or malice, from ill-natured
furmifes and conftruitions of things ?
— and, on both fides, from fmall
matters aggrandized through mif-
take, — and fometimes through the
unikilful relation of even truth it-
felf? — From fome, or all of which
caufes, it happens, that the charac-
ters of men, like the hiftoiies of
the Egyptians, are to be received
I 4 and

i2o SERMON XVII.

and read with caution ; — they are
generally drefied out and disfigured
with fo many dreams and fables, that
every ordinary reader mall not be
able to difting-uifh truth from falfe-

O

hood. — But allowing thefe reflections
to be too fevere in this matter, —
that no fuch thing as envy ever lef-
fened a man's character, or malice
blackened it ; — yet the characters of
men are not eafily penetrated, as,
they depend often upon the retired,
unfeen parts of a man's life. — The
bed and trueft piety is moft fecret,
and the word of actions, for different
reafons, will be fo too. — Some men
are modeft, and feem to take pains
to hide their virtues; and, from k
natural diftance and referve in their ;

tempers,

SERMON XVII. 121

tempers, fcarce fuffer their good
qualities to be known: — others, on
the contrary, put in practice a thou-
fand little arts to counterfeit virtues
which they have not, — the better to
conceal thole vices which they really
have ; — and this under fair fhews of
fanctity, good-nature, generofity, or
fome virtue or other, — too fpecious to
be feen through, — too amiable and
difinterefted to be fufpecled. — Thefe
hints may be fufficient to mew how
hard it is to come at the matter of
fact : — but one may go a ftep fur-
ther,— and fay, that even that, in
many cafes, could we come to the
knowledge of it, is not fufficient by
itfelf to pronounce a man either
good or bad. — There are numbers

of

122 S E R M O N XVII.

of circumftances which atrcnd every
action of a man's life, which can
never come to the knowledge of the
world, — yet ought to be known, and
well weighed, before fentence with
any juftice can be pa-Ted upon him. —
A man may have different views and
a different fenfe of things from what
his judges have ; and what he under-
ftands and feels, and what paffes
within him may be a fecret treafured
up deeply there for ever.— A man,
through bodily infirmity, or force
compleelional deled, which perhaps
is not in his power to corredt, — may
be fubjecT: to inadvertencies, — to
Harts — and unhappy turns of temper ;
he may lay open to mares he is not
always aware of 5 or, through igno-
rance

SERMON XVII. 120

6

ranee and want of information and
proper helps, he may labour in the
dark : — in all which cafes, he may
do many things which are wrong in
themfclves, and yet be innocent ; —
at lead an object rather to be pitied
than cenfured with fe verity and ill-
will. — Thefe are difficulties which
ftand in every one's way in the form-
ing a judgment of the characters of
others. — But, for once, let us fup-
pofe them all to be got over, fo that
we could fee the bottom of every
man's heart ; — let us allow that the
word rogue, or honeft man, was
wrote fo legibly in every man's face,
that no one could poffibly miftake
it;— yet Hill the happinefs of both
the one and the other, which is the

only

124 SERMON XVII.

only fail: that can bring the charge
home, is what we have fo little cer-
tain knowledge of, — that, bating
fome flagrant in (lances, — whenever
we venture to pronounce upon it, our
decifions are little more than random
gueifes. — For who can fearch the
heart of man ? — it is treacherous
even to ourfelves, and much more
likely to impofe upon others. — Even
in laughter (if you will believe Solo-
mon) the heart is forrovvful ; — the
mind Jits drooping^ whilft the counte-
nance is gay : — and even he, who is
the object of envy to thofe who
look no further than the furface of
his eftate, — may appear at the fame
time worthy of companion to thofe
who know his private recefles. — Be-

fides

SERMON XVII. 125

fides this, a man's unhappinefs is not
to be afcertained fo much from
what is known to have befallen him,
—as from his particular turn and
call of mind, and capacity of bear-
ing it. — Poverty, exile, lofs of fame
or friends, the death of children,
the dearefl of all pledges of a man's
happinefs, make not equal impref-
fions upon every temper. — You will
fee one man undergo, with fcarce the
expence of a figh, — what another,
in the bitternefs of his foul, would
go mourning for all his life long : —
nay, a hafty word, or an unkind
look, to a foft and tender nature,
will ftrike deeper than a fword to
the hardened and fenfelefs. — If thefe
reflections hold true with regard to

misfor-

126 SERMON XVII.

misfortunes, — they are the fame with
regard to enjoyments : — we are
formed differently, — have different
taftes and perceptions of things ; — by
the force of habit, education, or a
particular call of mind, — it happens
that neither the ufe or pofieflion of
the fame enjoyments and advantages,
produce the fame happinefs and con-
tentment •, — but that it differs in
every man almoft according to his
temper and completion : — fo that
the felf-fame happy accidents in life,
which fhall give raptures to the
choleric or (anguine man, (hall be
received with indifference by the
cold and phlegmacic ; — and fo oddly
perplexed are the accounts of both
human happinefs and mifery in this

world,

SERMON XVII. 127

world, — that trifles, light as air,
mall be able to make the hearts of
feme men fing for joy ; — at the fame
time that others, with real bleflings
and advantages, without the power
of uling them, have their hearts
heavy and discontented.

Alas ! if the principles of content-
ment are not within us, — the height
of ftation and worldly grandeur will
as foon add a cubit to a man's ftature
■as to his happinefs.

This will fugged to us how little
■a way we have gone towards the
proof of any man's happinefs, — in
foarely faying, — Lo ! this man pros-
pers

128 SERMON XVII.

pers in the world, — and this man has
riches in polTeflion.

When a man has got much above
us, we take it for granted — that he
tees fome glorious profpecls, and
feels fome mighty pleafures from his
height i — whereas, could we get up
to him, — it is great odds whether we
fhould find any thing to make us
tolerable amends for the pains and
trouble of climbing up fo hi^h. —
Nothing, perhaps, but more dangers
and more troubles {till ; — and fuch
a giddinefs of head befides, as to
make a wife man wifh he was well'
down again upon the level. — To
calculate, therefore, the happinefs of
mankind by their ftations and

honors,,

S E R M O N XVH. 129

honours, is the moft deceitful of all
rules ; — great, no doubt, is the hap-
pinefs which a moderate fortune, and
moderate defires, with a confciouf-
ncis of virtue, will fecure a man. —
Many are the filent pleasures of the
honeft peafant, who riles chearfuliy
to his labour: — look into his dwel-
ling,— where the fcene of every
man's happinels chiefly lays ; — he
has the -fame -domeftic • endearments,
— as much joy and comfort in his
children, — and as flattering hopes of
their doing well, — to enliven his
hours and glad his heart, as you
could conceive in the mod -affluent
ftation. — And I make no doubt, in
general, bat if the true account of
his joys and fufFerings were to be
Vol. VII. K balanced

1 3o SERMON XVII.

balanced with thofe of his betters,—-
that the upmot would prove to be
little more than this, — that the rich
man had the more meat, — but the
poor man the better ftomach ; — the
one had more luxury, — more able
phyficians to attend and fet him to
rights 5 — the other, more health and
ibundnefs in his bones, and lefs
occafion for their help \ — that, after
theie two articles betwixt them
were balanced, — in all other things
they flood upon a level ; — that the
fori mines as warm, — the air blows
as frefh, and the earth breathes as
fragrant, upon the one as the other j
— and that they have an equal ihare
in all the beauties and real benefits.
of nature. — Theie hints may be fuf-

ficient

SERMON XVII. 13!

Bcient to fhew what I propofed from
them, — the .difficulties which attend
us in judging truely either of the hap-
pinefs or the mifery of the bulk of
mankind, — the evidence being dill
more defective in this cafe (as the
matter of fact is hard to come at) —
than even in that of judging of their
true characters •, of both which, in
general, we have fuch imperfect
knowledge, as will teach us candour
in our determinations upon each
other.

But the main purport cf this dif-
courfe, is to teach us humility in our
reafonings upon the ways of the Al-
mighty.

K 2 That

1^2 SE R M O N XVII.

That things are dealt unequally 'in
this world, is one of the ftrongeft na-
tural arguments for a future ft ate, —
and therefore is not to be overthrown :
nevertheless, I am perfuaded the
charge is far from being as great as
at firfc fight it may appear ; — or if it

is, — that our views of things are fo
narrow and confined, that it is not in
our power to make it good.

But fuppofeit other-wife, — that the
happinefs and profperity of bad men
were as great as our general complaints
make them ; — and, what is not the
cafe, — that we were not able to clear up
the matter, or anfrver it reconcileably
with God's juftice and providence,
—what fhall we infer ? — Why, the

- moft

SERMON XVII. 133

mod becoming conclufion is, — thac
it is one inftance more, out: of many
others, of our ignorance: — why
mould this, or any other religious
difficulty he cannot comprehend,—
why mould it alarm him more than
ten thouiand other difficulties which ■
every day elude his mod exaci and at*
tentive fearch? — Does not the mean-
eft flower in the field, or the fmalleft
blade of grafs, baffle the underiiand-
inor of the mod Denetratino- mind ? —
Can the deepeft enOjUirers after na-
ture tell us, upon what particular
fize and motion of parts the various
colours and taftes cf vegetables de-
pend ; — why one (hrub is laxative,—
another reftfingenr ; — why ar-fenic or
hellebore fhould lay walle this noble

K 3 frame

134. SERMON XVIL

frame of ours, — or opium lock up-
all the inroads to our fenfes, — and
plunder us in fo mercilefs a manner
©f reafon and underftanding ? — Nay,
have not the rnoft obvious things
that come in aur way dark fides,
which the quickeft fight cannot pene-
trate into ; and do not the clearer!:
and molt exalted understandings find
themfelves puzzled, and at a lofs, in

every particle of matter ?

Go then, — proud man! — and
when thy head turns giddy with opi-
nions of thy own wifdom, that thou-
wouldft correct the meafures of the
Almighty, — go then, — take a full
view of thyfclf in this glafs -,—
conlider thy own faculties, — how-
narrow

SERMON XVII. 235

narrow and imperfe<5t •, — how much
they are checquered with truth and
faliehood ; — how little arrives at thy
knowledge, and how darkly and con-
fufedly thou difcerneft even that little
as in a glafs : — confider the begin-
nings and ends of things, thegreateft
and the fmalleft, how they all con-
fpire to baffle thee; — and which way
ever thou profecuteft thy enquiries, —
what frefti fubjects of amazement,
— and what frefli rcafons to believe
there are more yet behind which thou
canft never comprehend. — Confider,
- — thefe are but part of his ways ; —
how little a portion is heard of him ?
Canft thou, by frarching, find out
God ? — wouldft thou know the Al-
mighty to perfection ? — 'Tis as high

K 4. as

i36 S E R M O N XV1L

as heaven, What canft thou do ?—
'tis deeper than hell, how canft thou
know it ?

Could we but fee the myfterious

workings of providence, and were we
able to comprehend the whole plan
of his infinite wifdo'm and goodneis,
which poffibly may be the cafe in the
final confummation of all things ; —
thofe events, which we are now fo
perplexed to account for, would pro-
bably exalt and magnify his wifdom,
and make us cry out with the Apoflle,
in that rapturous exclamation, — O !
the depth of the riches both of the
soodnefs and wifdom of God ! —
how unfearchable are his wavs, and
his paths paft finding out !

Nov/ to God, &c.

SERMON XVIIL

The Ingratitude of Ifrael.

SERMON XVIII.

2 KijTgs xvii. 7.

For fo it was, — that the children of
Ifrael had finned againfi the Lord
their God, who had brought them up
out of the land of Egypt. —

THE words of the text account
for the caufe of a fad calamity*,
which is related, in the foregoing
verfes, to have befallen a great
number of Ilraelites, who were fur-
prized, in the capital city of Samaria,
by Hofea king of AfTyria, and cruelly
carried away by him out of their
own. country, and placed on the defo-

latc

i4o SERMON XVIII.

late frontiers of Halah, and in Haber,
by the river Gozan, and in the city
of the Medes, and there confined to
end their days in forrow and cap-
tivity.— Upon which the facred his-
torian, indead of accounting for lb
fad an event merely from political
fprings and cau.fes ; fuch, for inftance,
as the fuperior fcrength and policy
of the enemy, or an unfeafonabie
provocation given, — or that proper
meafures of defence were neglecled ;
—he traces it up, in one word, to its
true caufe -, — For fo it was, fays he,
that the children of llrael had finned
againffc the Lord their God, who
had brought them up out of the land
of Egypt. — It was furely a Sufficient
foundation to dread fome evil, — that

they

SERMON XVIII. 141

they had finned againft that Being
who had an unqueftionable right to
their obedience.— But what an aggra-
vation was -it— that they had not
only finned Amply • againft the truth,
but againft the God of mercies, —
who had brought them forth out of
the land of Egypt ;— who not only
created, upheld, and favoured them
with fo many advantages in common
with the reft of their fellow crea-
tures,— but who had been parti-
cularly kind to them in their misfor-
tunes 5 — who, when they were in the
rhoufe of bondage, in the mod hope-
-lefe condition, without a profpeft of
.any natural means cf redrefs, had
-compaiTionately heard their cry, and
took pity upon the afflictions cf a

cliftreffed

H2 SERMON XVIII.

diftreffed people, — and, by a chain
of miracles, delivered them from
fervitude and oppreffion ; — miracles
of fo flupendous a nature, that I take
delight- to offer them, as often as I
have an opportunity, to your de-
vouteft contemplations. — This, you
would think as high and as com-
plicated an aggravation of their fins
as could be urged. — This was not
all ; — for befides God's goodnefs in
firft favouring their miraculous efcape,
a feries of fucceiTes, not to be ac-
counted for from fecond caufes, and
the natural courfe of events, had
crowned their heads in fo remarkable
a manner, as to afford an evident
proof, not only of his general con-
cern for their welfare, but of his

particular

SERMON XVIII. 143

particular providence and attachment
to them above all people upon earth.
— In the wildernefs he led them like
iheep, and kept them as the apple
of his eye : — he differed no man to
do them wrong, but reproved evea
kings for their fake. — When they
entered into the promifed land, — no
force was able to Hand before them ;
-r-when in poffeffion of it, — no army-
was able to drive them out -, — and
in a word, nature, for a time, was
driven backwards to ferve them j
and even the Sun itfelf had flood
ftill in the midft of heaven to fecure
their victories.

A people with fo many teftimonies

of God's favour, who had not pro-

7 fited

i44 SERMON XVIII.

fked thereby, fo as to become a
virtuous people, muft have been
utterly corrupt •, — and ib they were.
— And it is likely, from the many
fpecimens they had given, in Mofes's
time, of a difpofition to forget God's
benefits, and upon every trial to
rebel againil him, — he forefaw they
would certainly prove a thanklefs
and unthinking people, extremely
inclined to go affray and do evil;
—and therefore, if any thing was
likely to .bring them back to them-
iclves, -and to confider the evils of
their miidoings, — it muft be the
dread of lbme temporal calamity,
which, he prophetically threaten-
ed, would one day or other befai
them ; — hoping, no doubt,— that if
5 W>

SERMON XVIII. H£

no principle of gratitude could make
them an obedient people, — at lead
they might be wrought upon by the
terror of being reduced back again
by the fome all-powerful hand to
their firft diftrefled condition ; —
which, in the end, did actually
overtake them. — For at length,
when neither the alternatives of pro-
mifes or threatnings, — when neither
rewards or corrections, — comforts
or afflictions, could foften them ; — ■
when continual inflections, — warn-
ings,— invitations, — reproofs, — mira-
cles, — prophets and holy guides,
had no effect, but inftead of making
them grow better, apparently m«>de
them grow worfe, — God's patience
Vol. VII. L at

xA6 S E R MO N XVIII.

at length withdrew, — and he fuffered
them to reap the wages of their folly,
by letting them fall into the Hate of
bondage from whence he had firfc
railed them •, — and that not only in
that partial inftance of thofe in
Samaria, who were taken by Holea,
■ — but, I mean, in that more general
inftance of their overthrow by the
army of the Chaldeans \ — wherein he
fuffered the whole nation to be led
away, and carried captive into Nine-
veh and Babylon. — We may be af-
fured, that the hiftory of God Al-
mighty's juft dealings with this fro-
ward and thoughtlefs people — was
not wrote for nothing; — but that it
was given as a loud call and warning
of obedience and gratitude, for all

races

SERMON XVIII. 147

races of men to whom the light of
revelation mould hereafter reach : —
and therefore I have made choice of
this fubject, as it ieems likely to fur-
nifh fome reflections feafonable for
the beginning of this week, — which
mould be devo:ed to fuch medita-
tions as may prepare and fit us for
the folemn fail which we are fhortiy
to obferve, and whofe pious inten-
tion will not be anfwered by a bare
affembling ouifelves together, with-
out making fome religious and nati-
onal remarks fuitable to the occafion,
— Doubtlefc, there is no nation which
e^cr had fo many extraordinary re.t-
fons and fuptrnatural motives to be-
come thankful and virtuous, as the
Jews had -t — which, befu'es the daily
L 2, blefurgs

i48 SERMON XVIII.

bleffings of God's providence to them,
has not received fufficient bleffings
and mercies at the hands of God, \o
as to engao;e their belt fervices, and
the warmeft returns of gratitude they
can pay.

There has been a time, may be,
when they have been delivered from
fome grievous calamity, — fiom the
rage of peftilence or famine, — from
the edge and fury of the fword,—
from the fate, and fall of kingdoms
round them •, — they may have been
preferved by providential dilcoveries
of plots and defigns again ft the well-
being of their ftates, or by critical
turns and revolutions in their favour
when beginning to fink, — By fome
6 fignal

SERMON XVIII. 149

fignal interpolation of God's provi-
dence, they may have refcued their
liberties, and all that was dear to
them, from the jaws of fome tyrant •,
— or may have preferved their reli-
gion pure and uncorrupted, when all
other comforts failed them. — If other
countries have reafon to be thankful
to God for any one of thefe mercies,
— much more has this of ours, — -
which, at one time or other, has re-
reived them ail ; — infomueh that our
hiftory, for this lait hundred ) ears, has
fcarce been any thing but the hiftory
of our deliverances and God's blef-
fings •, — and thefe in fa complicated a
chain, fuch as were fcarce ever vouch-
fafed to any people befides, except
the Jews ; — and with regard to them,

L 3 thoueh.

i ,o SERMON XVIII.

1 j

though inferior in the ftfopendous
manner of their working, — yet no
way fo — in the extend ve goodnefs of
their effects, and the infinite benevo-
lence and power which muft have
wrought them for us.

Here then let us flop to look back
a moment, and enquire what great ef-
fects all this has had upon our fins,
and how far worthy we have lived of
what we have received.

A ftranger, when he heard that
this ifland had been fo favoured by
heaven, — fo happy in our laws and
religion, — fo flourifhing in our trade,
— and fo bleffed in our fituation, — and
fo vifibly protected in all of them by

provi-

SERMON XVIII. j5i

Drovidence, — would conclude, that
our morals had kept pace with thefe
bleffings, and would expedt that, as
we were the mod favoured by God
Almighty, we muft be the molt vir-
tuous and religious people upon
earth,

Would to God, there was any
other realbn to incline one to fuch a
belief! — would to God, that the ap-
pearance of religion was more fre-
quent! for that would neceflarily im-
ply the reality of it fo me where, and
moft probably in the greateft and
moll rtfpeclable characters of the -na-
tion.— Such was the filiation of this
country, till a licentious king intro-
duced a licentious age. — The court

L 4 of

i52 SERMON XVIII.

of Charles the Second firft brake in
upon, and, I fear, has almoft demo-
lished the out- works of religion, of
modefty, and of fober manners ; — fo
that, inftead of any real marks of re-
ligion amongft us, you fee thoufands
who are tired with carrying the mafk
of it, — and have thrown it allde as
a ufelefs incumbrance.

Bnt this licentioufnefs, he'll fay,
may be chiefly owing to a long courfe
of profperity, which is apt to corrupt
mens minds. — God has fince tried
you with afflictions ; — you have had
lately a bloody and expenfive war •> — -
God has fenr, moreover, a pcftilence
amongft your cattle, which has cut
off the flock from the fold, and left

no

SERMON XVIII. i53

no herd in the ftalls ; — befides, — you
have juft felt two dreadful fhocks in
your metropolis of a moil terrifying
nature ; — which, if God's providence
had not checked and retrained with-
in fome bounds, might have over-
thrown your capital, and your king-
dom with it.

Surely, he'll fay, — all thefe war-
nings mult have awakened the con-
fciences of the moft unthinking part
of you, and forced the inhabitants
of your land, from fuch admonitions,
to have learned righteoufnefs. — I
own, this is the natural effect, — and,
one fhould hope, ihould always be
the improvement from fuch calami-
ties ; — for we often find, that num-
bers

154 SERMON XVIII.

bers of people, who, in their profpe-
rity, feemed to forget God, — do yet
remember him in the days of trouble
and diftrefs ; — yet, confider this nati-
onally,— we fee no fuch effect from
it, as, in fact, one would expect from
{peculation.

For inftance, with all the devalua-
tion and bloodfhed which the war
has occafioned, — how many converts
has ir made either to virtue or fru-
gality ? — The peftilence amongft our
cattle, though it has diftreffed, and
utterly undone, fo many thoufands •,
yet what one vifible alteration has it
made in the courfe of our lives ?

And though, one would imagine,

that the necefifary drains of taxes for

the

SERMON XVIII. 155

the one, and the lofs of rent and pro-
perty from the other, — fnould,in fome
meafure, have withdrawn the means
of gratifying our paffions as we have
done •, — yet what appearance is there
amongft us that it is fo ? — what one
iafhionable folly or extravagance has
been checked ? — Are not the fame
expences of equipage, and furniture,
and drefs, — the fame order of diver-
fions, perpetually returning, and as
great luxury and epicurifm of enter-
tainments, as in the moft prosperous
condition? — So that, though the
head is fick, and the whole heart is
faint, we all affect to look well in the
face, either as if nothing had happen-
ed, or we were alhamed to acknow-
ledge the force and natural effecls

of

156 SERMON XVIII.

of the chaftifements of God. — And1if^
from the effects which war and pefti-
lence have had, — we may form a
judgment of the moral effects which
this laft terror is likely to produce, —
it is to be feared, however we might be
ftartled at firft, — that the impreflions
will fcarce laft longer than the inftanta-
neous (hock which occafioned them :
— And 1 make no doubt, — mould a
man have courage to declare his opi-
nion,— " That he believed it was an-
indication of God's anger upon a cor-
rupt generation," — that it would be
great odds but he would be pitied for
his weaknefs, or openly laughed at
for his fuperftition.— Or if, after fuch
a declaration, — he was thought worth
Jetting right in his miftakes,.— he would

be

SERMON XVIII. 157

be informed, — that religion had no-
thing to do in explications of this
kind ; — that all fuch violent vibrati-
ons of the earth were owing to fub ter-
raneous caverns failing down of them-
felves, or being blown up by nitrous
and fulphureous vapours rarified by
heat •, — and that it was idle to bring
in the Deity to untie the knot, when
it can be refolved eafily into natural
caufes. — Vain unthinking mortals ! —
As if natural caufes were any thing
elfe in the hands of God,— but in-
ftruments which he can turn to work
the purpofes of his will, either to rer
ward or punifri, as feems fitting to
his infinite wifdom.

Thus

158 SERMON XVIII.

Thus no man repenteth him of
his wickednefs, faying, — What have
I done ? — but every one turneth to
his courfe, as a horfe rufheth into
the battle. — To conclude, however
we may under-rate it now, — it is a
maxim of eternal truth, — which both
reafonings and all accounts from hif-
tory confirm, — that the wickednefs
and corruption of a people will fodner
er later always bring on temporal
mifchiefs and calamities.-^-And can
k be ptherwife ? — for a vicious na-
tion not only carries the feeds of.de1-
ftructio:i within, from the natural
workings and courfe cf things,1 — -but
it lays itfelf open to the whole force
and injury cf accidents 'from with-
out •, — and I do venture to- fay1,^—
2 there

SERMON XVIII. i

59

there never was a nation or people
fallen into troubles or decay, — but
one might juitly leave the fame re-
mark upon them which the facred
hiftorian makes in the text upon the
misfortunes of the Ifraelites,— for fo
it was, — that they had finned ag.iinfl
the Lord their God.

Let us, therefore, conftantly bear
in mind that conclufion of the
facred writer, — which I mail oive
you in his own beautiful and awful
language :

" But the Lord, who brought you
up out of the land of Egypt, with
great power and a ftrctch'd-out arm,
him IJiall ye fear, and him (hall ye

worship,

■i6o SERMON XVIII.

worfhip, — and to him mail ye do fa-
■crifke : — And the (tatutes, and the
ordinances, and the commandments
he wrote for you, ye mail obferve to
■do for evermore. — The Lord your
God ye fhall fear, — and he lhall de-
liver you out of the hand of all your
enemies."

Now to God the Father, &c.
FINIS.

BOOKS written by Mr. STERNE.

1. The Life and Opinions of Triftram
Shandy. 9 Volumes. 18 s. fewed.

2. Sermons. 4 Volumes. 10 s. fewed.

3. A Sentimental Journey through France
and Italy. 2 Volumes. 5 s. fewed.

University of California
fSfHJIH^N REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY
jffVRetu^n, tnis material to the library
from which it was borrowed.

UC SOUTHERN REGIONA

A 000 155 991 3

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